Shared Community WiFi Networking Blog From A Toronto Co-op ISP

Sunday, September 17, 2006

What happens if there is no net neutrality - an economic analysis

"The likely harm to consumers and the Internet economy if Congress abandons “Network Neutrality” will be substantial, according to a new economic analysis released by Consumers Union, Consumer Federation of America and Free Press.

The report rebuts the claims of Net Neutrality opponents such as Vanderbilt University Law Professor Christopher S. Yoo and the Phoenix Center for Advanced Legal & Economic Public Policy Studies, finding that the benefits claimed for abandoning the principle of standardized, open communications network are small or non-existent."




LINK to http://muniwireless.com/municipal/watch/1234

Friday, September 15, 2006

New Report Shows US Falling Behind Rest of World in High-Speed Internet Access

Hard to imagine how the US has gone from world leader to bottom of the heap in the industrialized world for 'net access... But $40US/mth can be a lot to pay for on top of phone and TV.


"The price of broadband service, and not necessarily the lack of a home computer, is the key barrier to broadband adoption by low-income households..."




>LINK

Saturday, September 09, 2006

John Lorinc on Wireless Nomad in Saturday's Globe

John Lorinc, a local journalist and author, was interested in Wireless Nomad's mesh networking in Toronto, and wrote about it in Saturday's Globe and Mail (Toronto section), in an article called "The new WiFi mesh."

"...a research team and a plucky co-op have put their routers together to see if there are economically viable ways for consumers to share secure wireless Internet without free riding, on the one hand, or paying a $45-a-month fee, on the other.
"Almost everyone uses someone else's signal at various times," says Andrew Clement, a professor of information studies at the University of Toronto, and a member of the Canadian Wireless Internet Research Project. "Bell and Rogers want everyone to buy their own high-speed service. But there's no good reason we can't share."
Mr. Clement's team is tracking data from Wireless Nomad, a 100-member co-op that's been using so-called "WiFi mesh" technology to set up shared wireless Internet service in a growing number of locations around the city, but especially the west end.
Damien Fox, one of Nomad's co-founders, says the idea involves deploying special wireless routers in subscribers' homes that allow clusters of neighbours to link up to a high-speed Internet connection without paying the full fee or worrying about signal interference from objects like streetcars."


LINK to Globe Article

Toronto Hydro: There's No Free Lunch, and No Free Network

Lots about our town's WiFi in the news these days!

Prof. Andrew Clement from the University of Toronto, who has worked with Wireless Nomad almost since the beginning through the CWIRP, had lots to say about the Toronto Hydro WiFi project in a Toronto Star Op-Ed piece titled "How long will Toronto's wireless network be free?" (Good question! Funny, tho'-- taxpayers have already put in a couple of million for a "free" WiFi network... -DF) (Written with Mr Graham Longford.)

From the article:

" While we applaud Toronto Hydro Telecom for the bold vision and ambitious scope of this project, the plan to treat it as a commercial, profit-making business seriously undermines its potential as an innovative public service bringing widespread benefits to Torontonians.

When completed in three years it will blanket the entire city with high-speed wireless Internet service. Regrettably, by then it will no longer be free; Toronto Hydro Telecom plans to make users pay $29 a month for a subscription, or just under $400 a year. Instead of us reaping the benefits of a rightfully universal and affordable public service, THT will be raking in profits to be turned over to Toronto Hydro and, ultimately, the City of Toronto — its sole shareholder.

We believe the commercialization of THT's WiFi service wastes a golden opportunity for the city to be truly innovative, and violates Toronto Hydro's public interest obligations as a city-owned utility. That city council and Mayor David Miller have given their blessing to THT's approach makes this an issue for political debate."


LINK to Star article/

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Low-Cost, Pre-Configured Linux Computers for Sale



Here is part of Carl's interview of Tim Hildred, an open-source software advocate putting standard PC hardware to better use by setting up an easy-to-use version of Linux with all the programs most people need, right out of the box.

Standard specs are HP Pentium3 1GHz with 512MB RAM with CDROM, Iomega zip disk, and floppy and 20 gig hard drives with Mepis Linux, installed and tweaked.

For more info, email Tim at: timhildred-at-gmail-dot-com.

--------------------------
Interview with an Advocate, by Carl Furtado

"When I met Tim we were in a dimly lit basement. He was sitting in front of an impressive pile of hardware, almost guarding it. I was struck by the thought of a mother hen, protecting her newly hatched chicks from the ferrets and foxes that the cold world holds for them.

He'd asked me if i wanted to buy a computer, good price, versatile. Running something called Mepis Linux. I'd heard of Linux, something to do with free software and penguins, and angry computer geeks. Could I actually use it, too?

Tim said no problem, the machine and software easily has the power to surf the Net, exchange instant messages, email, play mp3s, video's, and prepare and edit documents and presentations, without any tweaking: everything i wanted it to do. And only $225 gets me the system, the installation, and personal help setting it up!"
--------------------------

Friday, September 01, 2006

Seneca Free Software and Open Source Symposium


October 26-27th, 2006 - 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
York University Campus, Toronto

Open Source is changing the way we think about computers, culture, education, and even politics. We invite you to join the discussion about open source and its derivatives, as we gather the architects of this change at Seneca College for the 5th annual Free Software and Open Source Symposium.

The Symposium is a two-day event aimed at bringing together educators, developers and other interested parties to discuss common free software and open source issues, learn new technologies and to promote the use of free and open source software. At Seneca College, we think free and open source software are real alternatives.


>
LINK